The University of Akron Athletics
Zips Downed by Kent State in Diamond Classic for the Kids
May 19 | Baseball
AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron baseball team fell to Kent State, 4-3, in the fifth annual Diamond Classic for the Kids in front over 1,000 fans at Canal Park. All proceeds from the game benefitted the Akron Children's Hospital.
Senior Brandon White collected three hits and a pair of runs scored and Tyler Begun drove in all three Akron runs. Andrew Brown was handed the loss after allowing three earned runs in 7.1 innings of work.
Prior to the game four Akron seniors - White, Bobby Simone, Benjamin Danziger, and Kevin Kumazec - were honored as part of a senior day ceremony.
KSU (38-13, 20-4 Mid-American Conference) broke up a 2-2 tie when Ben Klafczynski homered to lead off the eighth inning. The Flashes would add a much needed insurance tally later in the frame when David Lyon scored on Joe Koch's infield single.
Akron (15-36, 6-19) rallied to cut the deficit to one in the top of the ninth. Samuel Trecaso singled to right with one out and moved to second on a groundout by Jared Turocy. Begun then ripped a shot through the box and into centerfield to bring Trecaso around. The Zips could not muster the tying run, however, as KSU closer Kyle McMillin struck out James Sheltrown to end the game.
KSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Evan Campbell led off the inning with a double and scored on a Klafczynski single. Klafczynski then scored on David Lyon's triple.
Tyler Begun's two-out RBI single into left cut the Kent State deficit in half in the top of the second. White had led off the inning with a double down the leftfield line.
Begun and White teamed up again in the fourth to tie the contest. White led off the frame with a single to left and moved to third on Jared Turocy's single through the right side. Begun then hit a shot to third and was able to beat out the double play at first to allow White to score.
Akron and Kent State will continue their three-game series tomorrow afternoon at Kent's Mural Field. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.
